09

Nov

Finally, survey done to verify encroachments on Deussua lake

MARGAO
After a long wait of eight years, the survey department has finally carried out re-survey and demarcation of the encroachment on the Deussua lake.
The re-survey and demarcation work was done without any untoward incident even as large number of villagers gathered and demanded that the lake be beautified for the benefit of the villagers.
The demarcation process started on a tense note as the surveyors were earlier sent back by the families accused of encroaching on the comunidade land along the lake. However, this time there was no opposition and re-survey-cum-demarcation was done even as the villagers demanded that the comunidade land be used for development of children’s park, a senior citizen park and developing 14 Stations of the Cross along the lake.
Villagers demanded that the comunidade land be developed for the benefit of the villagers as there is no much land available in the village.
Speaking to reporters, panch member said that late attorney Arseno Furtado had toiled hard to clear the encroachments in Deussua comunidade and that the land be used for the betterment of the people of Deussua as well as betterment of the children.
He said that it was agreed upon to develop the comunidade land for children’s park and the process had commenced in 2010. He said that Furtado could not clear the encroachments adding that when he was elected as panch member, he decided to take up the development of the lake and the project was also endorsed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to develop and beautify the lake.
He alleged that earlier attempts to demarcate the boundaries of the comunidade land were stalled by political interference. He said that even the police was not acting and despite seeking police protection for the demarcation, they had refused to act adding that it had delayed the demarcation.
He said that they received a fresh order after several hearings on November 8 and appealed to those who are creating problems to get together and do something for the betterment of the village.
Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, the attorney of Deussua comunidade Milton Lopes said that the comunidade is interested in the development for the betterment of the people of the village. He said that the main issue is the illegal encroachment in the comunidade land adding twice the surveyors were sent back in the past.